Scratching machine



1,518,971 A. L. EDWARDS SCRATCHING MACHINE Dec. 9, 1924- Filed July 12,1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Patented Dec. 9, 192

] UNITED-STATES VIRGINIA.

PATENT OFFICE. i

I. EDWARDS, b1? WHEELING, WEST ASSIGNOR TO WHEELING STAMPING COMPANY,WHEELING, WEST VIRGINId, A CQRPORATION OF WEST I SORATCHING MACHINE.

Application filed July 12, 1921'. Serial No. 484,073.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo L. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States,,residin .at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and tate of West Virginia,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Scratching Machines, ofwhich the following is a full,-

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof and in which igure 1 is a plan view 0embodying my invention, wi h a portion of the feed or supply tablebroken away;

Figure 2is a diagrammatic plan view of trating the blow-ofi' forremoving the finished articles;

Figure 8 is a sectlonal plan v1ew illus I trating certain parts of themachine;

surface to be finished- Figure 9 is a detail sectional view showing thedischarge chute at tion; and a Figure 10 is a detail plan view, andFigure 11 a deta11 vertical section, illustrating I mounted on areciprocatingjcarrier 9 and actuated by a connection 10with the strapthe article feeding devices.

My invention has relation to scratching machines for imparting a dullfinish to me tallic articles, such, for instance, as thealuminum caps orcovers used on ]ars orsimilar receptacles for toilet creams and otherpreparations, although the machine may be readily adapted for use for avariety of different articles.

Heretofore, in so far as I am aware, it has been necessary for anattendant to hold the articles to be finished to the action of thescratch brush and to manipulate the same so as to scratch all portionsof the This operation requires considerable skill on the partof the.attendant in order to obtain a uniform finish free from high lights etc.M invention is machine the blow-oil" sta-.

- of these chuc In these drawings, the numeral 2 desi'gnates the frameof the machine, and 3 a feed or supply table upon which the flanged capsA to be finished are placed in quantities. This table may be providedwith a forwardly extending, narrow throat portion 4 into which. the capsmay be moved separately by an attendant and fed to the chucks.

5 designates a horizontal table which is mounted to rotate aboutthe'axis. of the vertical shaft 6, which is suitably mounted in theframe 2, as best shown in Figure 3. The

. table is arranged to have a step-by-step rotary movement, which may beeffected in. any suitable manner. For this purpose, I have shown thelower endpo'rtion of the shaft 6 as having keyed thereto a ratchet wheel7 which is engaged by a pawl 8 11 of an eccentric 12 secured to atransverse shaft 13. The shaft 13 may be rotatedin any suitable manner,as by a belt pulley 14.

The .rotar table 5 is rovided with any desired num er of cap ho dingchucks which are preferabl equally spaced thereon. Each comprises a headportion 15 which is of the proper diameter'to receive one of the caps orclosures A thereon, the

depending flange of the closure seating over the peripheral edge of thehead. This head is carried by a hollow spindle 16,"which is rotatablymounted to-turn about a vertical axis on the table 5, suitable' bearingsbeing provided, such as the upper and lower ball bearings 17, as bestshown in Fi re 6. The upper portionof theehuck s in e, and also the head15, are split vertically, as i di.

erated upon by the brushes in such I expander 19, which extends cated at18, the metal of the spindle having sufiicient inherent spring characterto permit the two parts'of the split portion of the spindle and head tobe sllghtly compressed and expanded relatively to each other. In orderto effect the expansion of these parts, there is placed within eachspindle a hollow vertically through the spindle and for some distancebelow the lower surface of the table 5. The

.upper end portion of each expander is pro- 24 is a transverse shaftupon which are mounted the two wire scratch brushes 25, the shaft beingso arranged relatively to the table 5 that as said table is rotated thearticles on the chucks will be brought under neath and subjected to thesuccessive action of these two brushes. The shaft 24 may be driven inany suitable manner, as by the belt 26 (shown in dotted lines in Figure.1), which is, in turn, driven by a pulley 27 on a transverse shaft 28having a driving pulley 29. '30 indicates a third scratch brush which issecured to a vertical shaft or spindle 31 in osition to act upon thedepending flanges o the metal caps on the chucks. The shaft is shown asdriven by a belt 33 from a pulley 34 on the shaft 28 before I referredto.

The table portion 2f of the frame 2 below the table 5, has on its uppersurface a segmental cam 35, best shown in Figures 3 and y 8, which is ina position to be engaged by ably employed for this purpose are bestshown in Figures 7 and 9. 36 designates an air supply pipe whichcommunicates with any source of air under pressure and whlch' has adischarge connection at 37 with a passage 38 which extends upwardlythrough the table portion 2. The upper end of the passage 38 extends anddischarges through the high portion of a cam member 39 secured to saidtable portion 2, and which is designed to be engaged by the heads 22 onthe expanders as the chuck is successively brought around to thedischarge position. The passage 38 is formed in a verticallymovablesleeve member 40 having ports 41 therethrough, which, when thesleeve mem her is in elevated position, are arranged to register withthe discharge connection 37 of the air supply pipe 36. The sleeve member40 is normally held in its lowered inoperative position, shown in Figure7, by the action of a spring 42. 43 designates a bell crank leverpivoted at 44, one arm of this bell crank lever engaging the head of thesleeve member 40 and its other arm extending upwardly in position to beperiodically engaged by a pin or stud 45 on the reciprocating pawlcarrier 9 before referred to. The arrangement is such that as each chuckis brought to the position shown in Figure 7 with the lower end of itshollow expander 19 directly over the discharge opening of the passage 38(the expanders havin been raised by the action of the cam 39 the stud 45will actuate the bell crank lever 43 to raise the sleeve member 40 andthus admit a puff of air from the supply pipe 36 into said passage 38.This air is discharged upwardly at the upper end of the hollow expander,and serves to blow the cap or closure therefrom, the split chuck headsbeing at this time in contracted condition. A felt-lined hood 46 ispreferably placed over the discharge or blow-0E station, so as to directthe caps or closures as they are blown ofi in the manner just described,into a downwardly inclined discharge chute 47.

:While the articles to be scratch-finished may be placed upon the chucksby hand, I have provided a mechanical feed for this purpose. shown indetail in Figures 10 and 11. The

The devices for this purpose are a feed chute 4 into which the articlesare pushed onp by one by an attendant. has at its lower portion thelateral spring friction members 49 which temporarily hold the articlesin position in the path of movement of the chucks. A spring member 50forms the to of the lower ortion of the chute, and W llGll is extendedovcr the next point of rest for the chuck. As the chucks come around totheir receiving positions, they engage the articles, and upon the next11lovement pull the articles out of the friction splin s 49. Thearticles are then properly seated and held on the chuck by the action ofthe 5 ring 50 until the chuck IS ex anded.

The, operation will be readily un erstood from the foregoing descrition. The attendant places one of the c osurcs A upon each chuck asthese chucks are brought by the step-by-step rotation of the table 5 to.

all parts-of the closure are subjected equally the position a, in Figure2. The rotation of the table brings the articles successively to thestations I) and 0 (Figure 2), where they are subjected to the action ofthe scratch 5 brushes 25 and 30. The blow-ofi or discharge station islocated as indicated at d in Flgure 2.

-As before stated, at the time the closures are placed upon the chucksat position a Q of Figure 2, the cam is acting to hold the expander 19of that particular chuck in its raised inoperative position, permittingthe split head '15 of the chuck to contract so that its outer diameteris materially smaller than the internal diameter of the closure. Theclosure can therefore be readily placed upon the chuck. The continuedrotation of the table 5 carries the expander off from the end of the cam35, and the spring 21 immediately forces the expander downwardly intooperative position. This expands the split chuck heads sufiiciently tocause. them to frictionally engage the closures suificiently to hold theclosures against rotation on the chucks. As the closures come to theaction of the scratch brushes, they are'rotated, together with thechucks and chuck spindles, by the frictional action of the brushes. Thisinsures a uniform action of the brushes since to such action. The resultis a highly desirable uniform finish. After leaving the brushes, thechucks pass successively to the discharge or blow-0fi position, wherethe closures are automatically discharged in the manner beforedescribed.

The entire machine is simple in its construction and mode of operation.these machines is capable of finishing a large number of closures withthe aid of a single unskilled attendant. The finish imparted by theaction of the machine is greatly superior to any finish which can beobtained where the skilhof an attendant is depended upon to properlymanipulate the articles while holdingthexnmanually to the action of ascratch brush.

It will be apparent that the machine here- 1n described may be modifiedin various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention as defined in the appended claims. Thus, the driving mechanismfor the parts'may be widely changed; the articles may be placed .uponthe chucks by hand or may be fed In various other ways;.

scratch brush, means for rotating the brush,-

an article holding chuck, a movable carrier arranged to bring the chuckwith the article thereon to the action of said brush, a blow- One of'oif hood, and means for blowing the finished articles from the chuckinto said hood, substantially as described. I

2. A scratching machine comprising a rotary scratch brush, an articleholding chuck, a 'movable carrier for said chuck and arranged to movethe chuck with the article thereon to the action of the brush, saidchuck being mounted to rotate with the article thereon under the actionof the brush, a blowofi' hood, and means for blowing the finishedarticles from the chuck into said hood, substantially as described.

'3. A scratching machine comprising a plurality of rotary scratchbrushes,"a-rota ry carrier, means for imparting a step-by-stepmovementto "said carrier, a plurality of hollow chucks mounted on saidcarrier, each of said chucks having means for holding an article to bescratched, and means for passing a blast of air through each hollowchuck at a predetermined position, substantially as described. 7

4. A scratching machine comprising a rotary scratch'brush, a carriermounted for step-by-step rotation, a plurality of chucks on the carrier,means for periodically expanding and contracting the chucks including ahollow reciprocable stem, springs urging the stem to chuck expandingposition, cams for moving it to chuck contracting-position, meansforactuating thecarrier in a step-by-step manner to cause the chucks todwell when in position relative to the brush and means associated withone ofsaid cams termined station, and means at said station for emptyingthe chuck, substantially as described. v i

6. A scratching machine comprising scratching means, acarrier, a chuckmounted on carrier, said chuck consisting ofa split head, a splitspindle carrying said head, means for causing the alternate expansionand contraction of the split portions of the chuck,

said means comprising an expander automat ically movable one directionwithin the chuck and means for automatically actuating the expander inthe opposite direction during the operation of the machine, and meansfor emptying the chuck when stantially as described.

7. In a scratching machine, a hollow chuck sp ndle carrying a check,said spindle and contracted, sub- Inn chuck having split portions, avertical movable expander working within the chuck, a spring fornormally holding the expander in operative position, cam means arrangedto act on the expander in opposition to the spring, and means foremptying the chuck when the cam has actuated the expander, substantiallyas described.

8. In a scratching machine, the combination with a hollow chuck forholding the articles while being scratched, of means for periodicallyadmitting air under pressure through said chuck for ejecting scratchedarticles from the chuck, substantially as described. i r

9. In a scratching machine, the combination with an expansible andcontractilole hollow chuck for holding the articles while beingscratched, means for causing the ex.- pansion and contraction of thechuck at proper times, and means for periodically admitting air underpressure through the chuck when in the contracted c nditipn,substantially as described. 2

10. A scratching machine comprising scratching means, a rotary carrierhaving a plurality of article holding chucks arranged to subject thearticles to the action of said' scratching means, means for periodicallyexpanding and contracting the chucks, each of said chucks having an airpassage tierethrough, a supply connection for air under pressure andhaving a discharge passage withswhich the chucks are arranged to besuccessively brought into communication, and valve means for controllingthe discharge of air from the supply connection into said chuck,substantially as described.

11. A scratching machine comprising scratching means, a rotarycarrierhaving a plurality of article holding chucks arranged to subjectthe articles to the action of said scratching means, means forperiodically expanding and contracting the chucks, each of said chuckshaving an air passage-there through, a supply connection for air underpressure and having a discharge passage with which the chucks arearranged to be successively brought into communication, and valve meansfor controlling the discharge of air from the supply connection intosaid chuck, together with actuating means for the carrier and for theValve mechanism working in timed relation to each other, substantiallyas described.

12. A scratching machine comprising a carrier, 'a plurality ofexpansible and contractible article holders on the carrier and,

having air passages therethrough, means for moving the carrierstep-by-step to successively bring the article holders to charging anddischarging stations, a scratch brush effecting a contraction of theholders at the discharging station, and means for blowing air througheach holder when so contracted, substantially as described.

13. In ascratching machine, the combination with a carrier having anarticle holding chuck, means for moving the carrier to move the articleholding .chuck past a charging station, of downwardly inclined means forfeeding articles by gravity singly into position to be engaged by thechuck and to be moved from the feeding means by the movement of thechuck, substantially as described.

14. In a scratching machine, the combination ith a rotating carrierhaving a plurality of expansible and contractible article holder chucks,means for moving the carrier, of means for feeding the articles singlyand successively onto the chucks by gravity when the chucks are broughtinto proper relation with the feeding means, the chucks and feedingmeans being so related that the chuck wi I draw the articles from thefeeding means in their movement, and means for holding the chucks incontracted condition to receive the articles while at the feeding means,substantially as described.

15. In a scratching machine, the combination with a carrier having anexpansible and contractible article-holding chuck, a feed chute fordelivering the articles singly and successively to said chuck, means forholdin the chuck contracted to receive the artic es as they are fed,means for causing the subsequentexpansion of the chuck to retain thearticle thereon, means for again contracting the chuck, and means forthen subjecting the article on said chuck to a blast of air for removingthe same, substantially as described.

16. In a scratching machine, the combination with a carrier having anexpansible and contractible articleholding chuck, a feed chute fordelivering the articles singly and successively to said chuck, means forholding the chuck contracted to receive the articles as they are fed,and means for causingthe subsequent expansion of the chuck to retain thearticle thereon, said feed chute having oppositely disposed frictionalmeans for engaging and holding the articles in positionto be engaged bythe chuck and be withdrawn from the chute by the operation of thecarrier, substantially as described.

17. In a scratching machine, the .combina tion with a carrier having anexpansible and contractible artic1e-holding chuck, afeed chute fordelivering thearticles singly and successively to said chuck, means forholding the chuck contracted to receive the articles as they are fed,and means for causing the subsequent expansion of the chuck to retainthe article thereon, said feed chute having frictional means forengaging and holding the articles in position article on the chuck untilthe chuck is expanded, substantially as described.

18. A scratching machine com rising a scratch brush, a movable carrieraving a plurality of article-holding chucks, means for imparting astepby-step movement to the carrier, means for feeding the articles ontothe chucks, and air blast means for automatically removing the articlesfrom the chucks after they have been operated upon by the scratch brush,substantially as described.

19. A scratching machine, comprising a plurality of scratch brushes, arotary carrier having a plurality of spaced article-holding chucksthereon, means for imparting a stepby-step rotation to the carrier,means for placing the articles on the chucks, and air blast means forcausing their removal from the chucks, substantially as described.

20. A scratching machine, comprising a plurality of scratch brushes, arotary carrier having a plurality of spaced expansible and contractiblearticle-holding chucks thereon, means for imparting a step-by-steprotation to the carrier, means for placing the articles on the chucks,and air blast means for causing their removal from the chucks, togetherwith means for expanding and contracting the chucks at the proper times,substantially as described.

21. In a scratching machine, scratching means, a carrier, articleholding means on said carrier adapted to subject the articles to thescratching means, means for delivering articles to said article holdingmeans, and'means for intermittently delivering air blasts to saidholding means to effect removal of the scratched articles, substantiallyas described.

22. In a scratching machine, scratching means, a carrier, articleholding means on said carrier adapted to subject the articles to thescratching means, means for delivering articles to said article holdingmeans, means for intermittently delivering air blasts to said holdingmeans to effect re moval of the scratched articles, and a blowoffhoo'dabove said holding means for receivirg said articles, substantiallyas describ 23. In a scratching machine, scratching means, a carrier,means for intermittently moving the carrier, article holding means onsaid carrier adapted to subject the articles to the scratching means,means for delivering articles to said article holding means, and meansoperated bythe carrier operating means for intermittently deliveringblasts of air'to said holding means to effect removal of the scratchedarticles, substantially as described.

In. testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ALONZO L. EDWARDS.

